Copyholder



Feb- 5 1935. B. E. VAN ALsTYNE COPYHOLDER FiledJan. 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 5, 1935. B. E. vAN ALsTYNE l coPYHoLDER Filed Jan. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES er OFFICE 8 Claims;

The present invention relates to improvements in copy holders, and its principal object is to provide for certain improvements in connection with the copy holders described in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 447,286, filed April 25, 1930, allowed August 22, 1933, Patent No. 1,903,523, issued April 11, 1933, and Patent No. 1,908,874, issued May 16, 1933, and is a division and continuation in part of my pending application, Serial No. 676,381, led June 17, 1933. y

It is particularly proposed in the present invention to provide a copy holder which serves three different purposes and is adapted to provide a holder for a sidewise opening book aswell as a holder for the conventional type of note book, as well as for a stack of sheets of paper to be copied from.

It is further proposed in the present invention to provide certain features which simplify the copy holder described in my previous applications.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specificationproceeds.

The preferred forms of my copy vholder are illustrated in the accompanymg drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in side elevation one form of my copy holder; 1

Figure 2 a front elevation of the same, a por` tion of the legs being omitted;

Figure 3 a horizontal section takenalong line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 a horizontal section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 a top plan view of a copy supporting element used in my device;

Figure 6 a front elevation of a modification; and

Figure 7 a side view of the modification shown in Figure 6.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope ofthe claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the form illustrated in Figures 1 tol 5 I provide a platform 1 preferably rectangular in form having a downwardly extending front flange 2, a rear flange 3, and side ilanges'l. For the front portion of the platform I* provide two legs 5 which are interconnected by a rod 6, which latter is pivoted in two bearings 7 arranged underneath the platform adjacent the front flange 2. This construction allows the legs 5 Vto be 'swung from a position adjacent the platform, to -a position at (Cl. 1Z0-28) right angles thereto. The legs 5A are made slightly divergent so as to form a bracing support for'the platform. When the legs are swung into alposition parallel to the platform the extremities of the legs are slightly compressed or forced together by the side flanges 4, whereby the legs are held in position. A similarly pivoted pair of rear legs 8 may be provided, although the same will be unnecessary in most instances since the front legs are intended to serve the purpose of extending into the cavity formed in atypewriter desk-for accommodating the typewriter kso that the platform itself r`may rest on the typewriter desk rearwardly of the typewriter itself.

The side flanges 4 of the platform have cushioning members 4 arranged alongside and projecting downwardly beyond the same to protect the front edge of the desk cover when the latter is moved into open position and the front legs are in the desk depression back of the typewriter.

To the upper corner of the front edge of the platform there is pivoted the plate 9 by means of -a series-of hinges 10 andthe plate 9 is intended as the principal support of the copy. The plate 9 may be supported in any desired inclined position relative to the platform 1 by means of the brace l1 which is pivoted to one edge of the plate 9 as at 12, and the free end of which may be adjustably secured relative to one edge of the platform which latter, for this purpose, is provided with a channel 13 having a restricted slot leading thereinto. This channel is secured to the flange 4 by means of screws 14. A bolt 15 has its head 15 slidably received in the channel, and has its shank slidable in the slot and passing through a perforation in the free end of the brace 11, and a nut 17 is threaded on the bolt for holding the free end of the brace 11 in adjusted position relative to the platform. By this arrangement the plate 9 may be adjusted to any angular'position desired.

The plate 9 has its side edges bent upon itself to form a pair of oppositely disposed-grooves 18,

and the material of the side edges is bent again s and turned upon itself to form a second pair of oppositely disposed grooves 19. The second pair of grooves is designed to slidably receive 'a second plate 20 in spaced and parallel relation to the first plate, whereby a deep slot 2 1 is formed between the two plates. The plate 20 may be moved upward and downward and is held in adjusted position by friction in the grooves 19. The upper edge of the plate 20 projects, even in retracted position, above the plate 9 and is bent rearwardly through a short section as shown atV 21' and is 5 then further bent to provide an end section 22 running substantially at right angles to the main portion of the plate. At the first bend indicated at 23 I provide a strip 24 overlying the bend, and secured to one edge-of the plate by means of screws 25. This strip 24, which is angular in cross-section to correspond to the bend 23, serves to hold a stack of sheets to the upper edge of the plate 20.

The device thus far described serves the purpose of holding either a note book or a stack of sheets to be copied from. For securing a note book to the copy holder, one cover of the note book is introduced into the slot between the two plates 9 and 20, and the remainder of the note book is allowed to drop against the plate 9 so as to be supported thereby. When it is desired to copy from a stack of sheets, I use the strip 24 and since as a rule the sheets are longer than a common note book, I extend the total length of the plates 9 and 20 by moving the plate 20 upward until the over-all length of the two plates substantially corresponds to that of the sheets to be copied from.

In connection with the note book or sheets of paper to be copied from, I provide a line indicator shown at 26 secured to the free end of an arm 27 which is pivoted to a sleeve 28, slidable on the square rod 29 running along side of one edge of the plate 9, the rod being held in two square ttings 30 projecting from the edge of the plate 9 and being secured in one of the ttings by means of a set screw 31. When the note book or stack of sheets are Iirst applied to the copy holder, the sleeve 28 is pushed downward to its lowermost position, whereupon the arm 27 is swung upward- 1y for raising the line indicator 26 above the plane of the book or the sheets of paper. The sleeve 28 is then moved upwardly until the line indicator 26 reaches the desired position, whereupon the indicator is dropped upon the surface of the copy. The indicator may then be manually moved by means of a manipulating element 32, from line to line, as the copying operation proceeds.

When the rear plate is extended to accommodate a sheet of paper thirteen inches or more in length, the line indicator sleeve is moved to the top of the rod 29, and the indicator is then swung upward and backward so as to cover the lines on that section of the sheet above the main plate, and can be extended if necessary, if the modified forms shown in Figures 15, 16 and 20 are used.

Where my copy holder is tobe used to support a sidewise opening book, I use additional means for positioning the book. A base plate 33 is hinged to the outer lower edge of the plate 9 as indicated at 34, which allows `the base plate to be swung from a position parallel to the plate 9 into a position at right angles thereto. The base plate is provided with inner extensions 35 reaching beyond the hinge, and serving as stops for preventing the base plate from going beyond a rectangular position. The base plate serves to support the bottom edge of a sidewise opening book, and is preferably recessed as shown at 36 to accommodate in said recess a note book when the base plate lies against the surface of the plate 9 in inactive` position.

For holding the upper faces of the leaves of the open book in proper reading position, I use the bar 37 which may be supported over the hinge of the book by means of the pivoted strips 38 and 39, the former being pivoted tothe upper section 22 of the plate 20 as shown at 40, and the latter being pivoted to the bottom face of the base plate 33 as shown at 41. Both of these strips are formed with a plurality of recesses 42 in which the bar 37 may be received so that the height of the bar 37 relative to the plate 9 may be adjusted according to the thickness of the book to be accommodated. The bar 37 has a line indicator 43 slidable thereon, and has also two angles 44 and 45, for overlying the bottom and top edges of the book leaves respectively for holding the same in position. These angles are preferably recessed in their horizontal flanges over the book hinges as shown at 44 in Figure 17, and the vertical flanges are preferably made with wedges 44 (see Figure 17) for centering the same relative to the hook hinge. The angle 44 is preferably fixed relative to the bar, while the line indicator 43 and the upper angle 45 are movable on the bar, a movement being frictionally opposed by suitable springs 46.

In case a book is opened in such a manner that one side is much lighter than the other side, I provide means for raising the lighter side so as to bring the exposed leaves into the same plane. For this purpose I use the spring leaves 47 arranged above the edge portions of the plate 9, and secured thereto at the bottom by means of screws 48. Intermediate sections of the springs are guided by clips 49, and when the upper ends of the springs are moved downward by means of handles 50, an intermediate section of the spring bulges outwardly for raising the lighter side of the book. The spring leaves may be held in adjusted position by pins 51 receivable in any one of a plurality of perforations 52 in the face of the plate 9.

The operation of my copy holder for supporting a sidewise opening book will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The book is placed against the surface oi the plate 9 so as to rest on the base plate 33, whereupon the two strips 38 and 39 may be swung outwardly and the bar 37 placed over the hinge section of the book and be engaged with the two strips 38 and 39 so as to be properly positioned relative to the book. The two angles 44' and 45 serve to hold the lower and upper edges of the book in place, and if one side of the book is lighter than the other, the spring leaf of the lighter side may be raised to bring the two open pages of the book into the same plane.

A modification is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. In this form the platform is provided with beveled edges 106, and the main supporting plate 107 is hinged to one edge of the platform as at 108. The plate 107 has its side edges turned over to form oppositely disposed grooves 109 in which a second plate 110 is slidably received in immediately adjacent relation to the plate 107. The second plate 110, which is substantially of the same length and width as the main supporting plate, projects beyond the same even in retracted position as shown in the two figures, and has a slight backward bend 111 above the main plate, and terminates in a rolled edge 112 which serves as a shelf for overturned leaves. Above the bend 111 is provided the strip 113 similar to the one previously described. Immediately above the bend the second plate 110 is formed with a horizontal slot 114 adapted to receive the book cover of a note book. The lower edge of the plate 107 is formed with a shelf 107.

This form also shows a modified line indicator mounting at 115, the same comprising a sleeve 116 slidable on the rod 117 and having a second sleeve 118 pivoted thereto as shown at 119, the

plied as previously described for yieldingly opposing movement of the two sleeves relative to the two rods 117 and the arm 120.

A brace 123 pivoted to one edge of the main plate as at 124 has a projecting lug engageable with any one of a plurality of perforations 125 provided in a strip 126 secured to one edge of the platform.

The form shown in Figures 6 and 'l is principally intended to beused for note books and stacks of paper to be copied from. For securing a note book in place one of the covers of the note book is passed through the slot 114 while the remainder of the note book is allowed to drop against the plate 107. The leaves of the note book may be turned over the upper edge of the second plate 110. For securing a stack of paper I use the strip 113 previously described after the second plate 110 has been raised to make the overall length of the two plates correspond substantially to the length of the paper sheets used. The specic form of line indicator mounting is particularly adapted for use in connection with the extended second plate since the arm 120 is slidable in the sleeve 118 so that when the upper lines of the sheet are to be copied the sleeve 116 may be moved to its uppermost position, whereupon the sleeve 113 may be turned to swing the indicator 121 upward and the arm 120 may be moved relative to the sleeve so as to bring the line indicator to an uppermost position. It should be particularly noted that the line indicator 121 is of square cross section so that it presents. a substantial body within the sight line no matter in what position relative to the paper the line indicator is supported. This is in contra-distinction to the ilat line indicator 26 shown in Figure 2, which when in adjacent relation to the paper shows its full width, but when swung around by an angle oi about 90 merely shows a thin edge in the sight line.

I claim:

l. In a copy holder, a platform, a copy supporting plate hinged thereto and having channels formed along the side edges thereof, a second plate slidable in said channels in adjacent relation to the first plate and projecting thereabove and having a rearward bend .above the rst plate and a slot in the upper end ci the second plate above the bend for receiving a book cover and for holding the same while the remainder of the book lies against the main plate.

2. In a copy holder, aplatiorm, a copyv supporting plate hinged thereto, a second plate mounted with freedom of sliding lengthwise movement relative to the first plate to serve as an extension thereof, the second plate having a transverse rearward bend above the rst plate and a strip secured to the second plate to overlie the bend and to yieldingly bear thereon, the strip being bent transversely to correspond to the shape of the bend and to cooperate with the latter in clamping sheets of paper therebetween.

3. A copy holder comprising a base, a copy supporting plate pivoted to the base, aisecond plate slidably secured to the first plate and having a slot for receiving a note book cover and a support above the slot for holding the back of the note book when in open position.

4.-. A copy holder comprising a base, a copy supporting plate pivo-ted to the base, a second plate slidably secured to the rst plate and having a slot for receiving a note book cover and a support above the slot for holding the back of the note book when in open position, and a folding lower shelf pivoted to the supporting plate for holding a note book or a sidewiseopening book, shelf being swingable against the surface of the supporting plate when not in use.

5. A copy holder comprising a copy supporting member, a slide eXtendible from the top oi the member for increasing the overall length of the copy holder, said slide having a slot in its top for receiving the rear cover of a note book, the front cover of the book and the pages being lswingable over the top of the slide.

6. A copy holder comprising a copy supporting member, and a bottom shelf hingedly secured to the lower edge of the member, said shelf carrying stops for limiting the swinging of the shell' beyond a predetermined position when moved into open position, said shelf when closed being adapted to vlie against the iront surface of the member.

7. A copy holder comprising a copy supporting member having a portion adjacent to the upper edge thereof bent rearwardly at an angle, and a paper 'clamping strip carried by the member and being angular in cross section so as to overlie the portions of the members disposed on each side of the bend.

8. A copy holder comprising a copy supporting member having al slot adjacent to its upper edge, the slot being wide enough to only receive the rear cover of a note book and being disposed close enough to the top o the supporting member for permitting the pages of the note book to be turned over the top edge of the member as the pages are copied.

BONNIE E. VAN ALSTYNE. 

